Furnace



Aug. 23, 1927. 1,640,056

J. F. O. STRATTON FURNACE Original Filed Aug. 28. 1925 3 51 1 51 1 111,640,056 1927' J. F. o. STRATTON FURNACE Original Filed Aug- 28. 1925'5 Sheet-5heet 2 J. F. O. STRATTON FURNAC E Original Filed Aug. 28. 19255 Sheets-Sheet 3 WM Q $5 a Haw 9% W 2 M 1P. g Q

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@7272 0557' Q/ZQM Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

UNITED STATES JOHN F. 0. STRATTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FURNACE.

Original application filed. August 28, 1925, Serial No. 52,998. Dividedand this application filed August The present invention relates toimprove ments in furnaces, and has particular reference to furnaces ofthe type disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 52,998 filedAugust 28, 1925, of which this application is a division.

In furnaces of the above type, a blast or jet of air is directedupwardly through the throat into the combustion chamber. The blast ofair agitates the fuel which is fed in at the top of the furnace, raisesor holds it in suspension to secure complete combustion, and separatesthe combustible from the non-combustible portions. To create this blast,air under pressure is admitted to the ash pit which serves as a pressurechamber, and from there passes through a long narrow space defined by apair of parallel intercepting members directly underlying the throat. Inentering the ash pit, the air passes around the outside surfaces of thewalls of the throat and through and over the intercepting members, andcools the same. The intercepting members are continuously reciprocatedin unison to shift the region of the blast back and forth across thethroat, thereby reaching all portions of the fuel and keeping them in amobile condition. The non-combustible portion of the fuel falls throughthe space between the intercepting members into the ash pit. A cleaningor slicing member is reciprocable on each intercepting member andoppositely thereto to remove slag and fuel adhering thereto, andincidentally to stir and agitate the slag and fuel. The interceptingmembers are given a stroke substantially less in length than the widthof the throat and in a range such that the region of the air blast isalways spaced from the side walls of the throat; and eachslicing memberis moved a substantial distance into the throat to the adjacent edge ofthe space as the latter is shifted in the opposite direction into itsextreme position at that side of the throat, thereby slowly moving thematter on the underlying intercepting member into the air blast.

The primary object of the present invenvention is to provide novel meansfor operating and adjusting the range of movement of the interceptingmembers and slicing members.

A further object resides in the provision Serial No. 53,000.

of means for independently adjusting the range and extent of movement ofeach of the intercepting members and the slicing members, and forpermitting independent manual operation.

Another object resides in the provision of novel adjusting means foreach movable operating member in which the angular position of themember is adjusted to adjust the effective component of its angularmovement in a given linear direction.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accom panying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a furnace embodying thefeatures of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken along line 2-2 ofFig. 4.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1 andshowing the operating mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken partly in the plane of line 4-4 andpartly in the plane of line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front view of a part of the operating mechanism.

l/Vhile the invention is susceptible of various modifications andalternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and will hereindescribe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understoodthat I do not thereby intend .to limit the invention to the specificform disclosed but aim to cover all modifications and alternativeconstructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, while the main body of thefurnace may conform to any suitable construction, it preferablycomprises a front wall 10, a rear or bridge wall 11, and inclined frontand rear bottom walls 12 and 13, respectively. The space bounded bythese walls constitutes a combustion chamber 14. Fuel, suchas coal 15,may be continuously fed from a hopper 16 having a feed screw 17 througha spout 18 in a set off of the front wall 10 into the upper part of thecombustion chamber 14. The front wall 10 is provided with an opening 19having a closure 20, and through which fuel may be thrown into the Illfurnace by hand at any time. The inclined Walls 12 and 13 are lined withsuitable refractory material, such as bricks or blocks and converge tothe upper edges of a long narrow throat 21. The inclined walls serve todirect coal and slag falling thereon into the throat.

Located at the lower portion ol the furnace and bounded by four 22, 23,2d and is an ash pit 26 which also serves as an air pressure chamberAshes may be I'GHIQVGCl from the pit 26 through an opening 27 in thewall 22 normally closed by the door r The, throat 21 is constructed of aplurality of sections which fit closely together, and whichpret'erablyconsist of blocks 29 shaped to form straight parallel side walls,andblo'cks 3O shaped to form cif rved end walls. The upper edges of theblocks 29 an are curved or inclined, as indicated at 31, to form shortcontinu'ations of the in; clined walls 12 and 13, and the sides thereofextend vertically below said 'edges preferably for a distance of aboutsix; inches.

The blocks 29 and 30 are hollow metal castings capable of withstandingextremely high temperatures. Each sideblocl'; 29 is rout-cc with an airassage 32 having a downwardly extending nozzle 33 opening into the ashpit 26 at the lower end of the throat. The otlter wall of the nozzle 33teri'ninates a short distance above the inner wall to permit lateraldeflection of the dis charged air. surrounding the blocks 29 and 30constituting the throat 21 is an air chamber 34 which 'cominiinicateswith the air passages 32, The air "chamber includes pas sages 35 aroundthe end blocks 30 to connect the side spaces. an the present instance,ea-ch 35 is constructed of an upper wall 36, a lower wall 37 and an endwall 38, upper and lower walls extending up to the end blocks 30.Preferably the inner edge of the lower wall 37 is spaced a smalldistance from the end blocks 30 to provide a nan-cw opening 39 adaptedto permit the escape of small amount of air for cooling! purposes. Oneside of the air chamber 3 1 is connected to an intake conduit 40 of anysuitable shape adapted to receive con'ipres'sed air from a suitablesource (not shown). The inner walls of the blocks '29 and 30 arecorrugated shown to provide extensive outer cooling surfaces over whichthe incoming air must pass, and to compensate for any variations due toexpansion or contraction. Ai'r enterin the chamber 3 1 will bedischarged through the nozzles 33 into the ash pit 26 to maintain apredetermined pressure therein. The cooled throat herein described isfully disclosed and claimed inin'y cop-ending application Serial No.52,999 fired August 28, 1925. p

The air chamber '34 and throat '21 may be supported in any suitatlemanner, in

the present instance are mounted at opposite ends on four channel shapedcolumns ll, the walls 36, 37 and 38 being rigidly secured thereto. Thesecolumns extend up from masonry columns d2 built in from the side walls24 and 25 of the ash pit 26.

Mounted on each of the columns 41 is one of a plurality of inwardlyextending brackets 43 supporting a pair of parallel spaced tracks lt and4:5. Each track preferably comprises two closely spaced parallelinverted T-shaped beams or bars. Movably mounted on the tracks are aplurality of anti-friction members, each of which consists of a pair ofperipherally grooved sheaves 46 riding on the edges of the T-shapedbeams and rigidly connected by a shaft 47. En the present instance,"four anti-friction members, one on each end of each track are pro videdMounted for bodily reciprocation on the friction members is a pair oftracks 48 and 49 each of which comprises two parallel bars connectedtogether by means of spacers 50, and engaging the peripheral grooves inthe sheaves 4:6. The front ends oi the bars or each of the tracks -18and 49 are bent toward each other, and are connected by a pin 51 towhich the rear end of a o erating link 52 is pivotally secured.

Mounted on the tracks 48 and for reciprocation therewith across thefront portion of the throat is an intercepting member 53 which comprisesa rectangular "frame 54 having end brackets 55 rigidly secured to thetracks. A second intercepting inen'iber 58 having a similar frame 59 ismounted for reciprocation across the rear portion of the throat 21. Theframe 59 however is not rigidly secured to the tracks 48 and L9. but isprovided with end brackets 60 in which rollers or sheaves 61 aremounted. The sheaves 61 engage the inner bars oi the tracks 48 and 19for adjustment toward and from the first mentioned frame. A plurality ofgrate bars (52 are mounted in the frames and 59, and are formed withside lugs 63 to provide the usual spacing. The intercepting members andare e a l apart to define a long "arrow space or passsage 64 serving asa nozzle for directing a blast of air from the ash pit 26 into thecoinbustion chamber 14. To provide means for adjusting the width of thespace 6%. and for reciprocating the frame 59 with the tracks 48 and 19,the brackets (30 are formed with upstanding lugs 65 to which the rearends of two spaced adjustirs; links 66 are piv'otally secured. I

Two cleaning or slicing members 67 and 68 are provided for dislodgingslag, and other material adhering to or collecting on the interceptingmembers 53 and 53 respec tively. The members 67 and 68 comprise aplurality oi": slicing grates 69, the free inner ends of which arerespectively reciprocable in the front and rear sides of the throat andsubstantially .horizontally disposed levers on the underlying grates 62to and from the front and rear edges of the space 6 1, and the outerends of which are formed with hooks fitting respectively over twohorizontal shafts 71 and 72 extending along 0pposite sides of thethroat. The front shaft 71 is mounted in the free upper ends of twospaced arms 7 3 pivotally mounted at their lower ends on the frontbrackets 13 at opposite sides of the ash pit 26. The arms 7 3 arepivotally connected near their upper ends by means of studs 7 1 to therear ends of two operating links 75. The rear shaft 72 is similarlymounted on arms 76 supported by rear brackets 13 and pivotally connectedby means of studs 77 to two operating links 78. The slicing grates 69are formed with side lugs 79 to provide the usual spacing and aredimensioned to extend beyond the sides of the throat 21 in all positionsof reciprocation. The ends of the intercepting members and slicingmembers also extend beyond the ends of the throat 21. The grates 62 and69 permit small amounts of cold air to percolate through theintercepting members and slicing members to cool the latter and to causethe slag falling thereon to harden. WVhile grates preferably areemployed. it is to be understood that any other suitable means havingsmall openings for the passage of air may be employed.

To prevent fuel or slag from being carried on the grates 69 out of thethroat 21, a plurality 0f scraper members 80 are provided. In thepresent instance, four scraper members are provided, and each membercomprises a bar 81 extending along one half of one side and curvedpartially around one end of the throat 21, and a pair of spaced arms 82pivotally secured in brackets 83 on the under side of the air chamber3 1. The bars 81 rest on the grates 69 directly beneath the nozzles 33,and each bar is formed with an upstanding flange 8 1 for deflecting partof the air from the nozzle overhead outwardly over the surfaces of thegrates 69. Air thus passes over and through the grates 69 to cool thelatter.

The front ends of the links 52, 66, 75 and 78 are pivotally connected tofour pairs of levers 85, 86, 87, and 88 mounted on four shafts 89. 90,91 and 92 respectively. These shafts extend transversely in the front ofthe ash pit 26, and through air tight bearings 93 in the side wall 25into a chamber 9 1 open at the top to the atmosphere. and are journaledin spaced bearing brackets 95 and 96 in opposite sides of the ash pitand in a hearing bracket 97 in the chamber 94:. The levers extendupwardly from the shafts so as to have a horizontal throw, and aresubjeot to adjustment as will be hereinafter described. Secured to theends of the shafts 89, 90, 91 and 92 in the chamber 941 are four 98, 99,100 and 101 respectively which are pivotally connected. to the lowerends of four links 102, 103, 104i and 105 respectively, extendingvertically through a hole 106 in the floor 107 at the front of thefurnace. The levers 98 and 101 extend forwardly, and the levers 99 and100 extend rearwardly so that upon movement of the links 102, 103, 104,and 105 in like directions, the intercepting members and the slicingmembers will be reciprocated in opposite directions.

At their upper ends, the links 102, 103, 10 1 and 105 are adjustablyattached respectively to four horizontally extending sector plates 108formed in parallel spaced relation on a plate 109 pivotally mounted in asupporting standard 110. Each sector plate 108 is formed with an arcuateslot 111 in which a bolt 112 is adj ustably mounted. One end of the bolt112 is pivotally secured to one of the links 102, 103, 104 and 105, andthe other end is provided with a hand wheel nut 113 for clamping thebolt in adjusted position in the slot 111. The bolt is also providedwith a hand lever 114 whereby it may be moved in the slot 111 when thenut 113 is loosened either to effect an adjustment or to manuallyoperate the associated link. it will be evident that by adjusting thevertical links, the levers on the horizontal shafts in the ash pit 26will be adjusted angular-1y, thereby changing their position and alsochanging the horizontal or effective component of their throw for agiven angular movement. The plate 109 is formed with a dowi'iwardlyextending arm 115 which is connected tl'irough a link 116 to a crank arm117 of a reduction gearing 118 driven by any suitable means (not shown).

The adjustment is such that the frame 59 is reciprocated throughsubstantially the same distance as the tracks 18 and 419 to maintain thespace 6d at a fixed width tl'iroughout the operation. The space 64 isshifted only across the central area of the throat, and the slicingmembers are periodically projected a substantial distance into thethroat to meet the space at a substantial distance from the sides. Thethroat is constructed of a width permitting however a substantialmovement of the space 64.

In operation of the furnace, crushed fuel 15 is charged into the furnacefrom the spout 13 in the form of a. falling stream. The fuel may beinitially ignited in any well known manner as by the use of gas jets orother equivalent devices.

Air enters through the conduit 10 into the air chamber a portion of theair pass ing dim'nwardly through the adjacent nozzles 33 in the sideblocks 29, and the remain ing port on passing around the end blocks 30to the nozzles 32 on the remote s'de oft-he throat 21. A small amount ofair also passes through the end openings 39 into the ash pit. Part ofthe air discharged from the nozzles 33 passes through the spaces between the grates 62 and 69, and part is laterally deflected by thescraping members to pass over the surfaces of the grates 69, into theash pit 26, thereby cleaning and cooling the grates. From the ash pit,the air is forcibly discharged in the form of a blast through the space64: between the mtercepting members 53 and 58 into the combustionchamber 1 1. The blast of air expanels and tends to hold the fuel insuspen sion. The course of the air is indicated in the drawings byarrows.

The fuel is consumed while in suspension. Parts of the fuel fall on theinclined walls 12 and 13, and are directed thereby into the throat 21.Molten slag runs down the inclined walls into the throat and onto thegrates 62 and 69. The slag there is caused to solidify by the relativelycold air percolating up through the spaces between and cooling thegrates. The non-combustible material has a greater specific gravity thanthe incandescent and partially volatilized combustible material. Apressure is maintained in the ash pit such that the force of the blastof air will allow the non-combustible material to fall through the space64 into the ash pit, and will retain the combustible material insuspension. The width of the space (54: between the intercepting memberscan be adjusted by adjusting the connection bet-ween the link 103 andthe associated sector plate 108, and the range of reciprocation canlikewise be adjusted by adjusting the links 102 and 103 relative to thesector plate. After adjusting the width of the space 64 in a definiteposition in the throat, its width may vary in the reciprocation due todifferent angular positions of the arms and 86.

The intercepting mei'nbers 53 and 58 are reciprocated to shift theregion of the blast of air slowly back and forth across the threat, butnot to the very sides of the throat. By shifting the region of the blastof air all parts of the fuel in the furnace are reached. The slag andfuel on the fEI'Z GS 62 are dislodged and moved into the i: of air bythe slicing grates 69 which are reciprocatcd oppositely to the membersand 58. thereby cleaning the grates and agitating the material to permiteiii nt separation The reciprocation of the .lng members is continualand at a sufficient speed to prevent a large mass of material fromcollecting on the grates. Each slicing member moved substantially out ofthe throat on its outward stroke to clean the same. and this cleaning isfacilitated by means of the slicing members 80. By cleaning the grates62 and 69 efficient cooling is permitted. The range and extent ofreciprocation of the slicing grates can be adjusted through the links104 and 105 Ad justments are preferably made with the slicing member inthe desired innermost positions. Upon loosening the nuts 113, the aboveparts can be selectively operated manually by means of the hand levers114.

It will be evident that I have provided an efficient vertical jetcombustion furnace capable of fine adjustments to suit differentoperating conditions, and not likely to get out of order.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a furnace, in combination with u combustion chamber having athroat in the bottom thereof, an air pressure chamber below said throat,and intercepting means conisting of a pair of sections interposedbetween said pressure chamber and the lower end of said throat, saidsections being spaced apart to define a nozzle for directing a blast ofair from said pressure chamber through said throat into said combustionchamber, means for reciprocating said sections back and forth acrosssaid throat to shift said blast, and means for adjusting said lastmentioned means to selectively adjust the movement of each of saidsections, said adjusting means being manually operable to reciprocatesaid sections manually.

2. In a furnace, in combination with a combustion chamber, a throat inthe bottom of said combustion chamber, an air pres sure chamber belowsaid throat. and intercepting means disposed across said throat, saidintercepting means consisting of a pair of spaced apart sections fordirecting a blast of air from said pressure chamber into said combustionchamber, means for reciprocating said sections in unison to shift saidblast back and forth across said throat. and means for adjusting saidlast mentioned means to adjust the width of the space between saidsection and to adjust the extent and range of the reciprocation of eachsection.

A furnace having, in combination, a combustion chamber having an openingin the bottom thereof, a pair of intercepting sections positioned acrosssaid openin a pair of slicing members positioned on said interceptingmembers, and :1 single means for reciprocating said intercepting membersand said slicing members in opposite directions.

4. A furnace having, in combination, a combustion chamber having anopening in the bottom thereof, a pair of intercepting sectionspositioned across said opening, a pair of slicing members positioned onsaid intercepting members. and a single means for reciprocating saidintercepting members and said slicing members in opposite directions,said means being adjustable to individually adjust the movement of eachmember.

til

5. A furnace having, in combination, a combustion chamber having anopening in the bottom thereof, a pair of intercepting sections disposedacross said opening, means for reciprocating said intercepting sectionsin unisom means for adjusting said last mentioned means to change themovement of either of said sections, means for locking said adjustingmeans in adjustment, said last mentioned means when released per- 10mitting said adjusting means to be used for reciprocating said sectionsmanually.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto afiixed my signature.

JOHN F. O. STRATTON.

